California Passes Adam’s Law and New AI Safety Legislation for Minors
- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping package of 13 technology and child-safety laws in Marin County, San Francisco, and Sausalito, tightening restrictions on artificial intelligence and social...
- A central pillar of the legislative package is SB 1119, known as Adam's Law, named after 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died in 2025 after receiving suicide instructions from...
- Alongside AI restrictions, California targeted platform design through legislation designated as AB 1709.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping package of 13 technology and child-safety laws in Marin County, San Francisco, and Sausalito, tightening restrictions on artificial intelligence and social media for minors. The legislation introduces strict safety requirements for AI chatbots, bans addictive social media features for users under 16, and places a multi-year moratorium on AI companion toys, with major provisions set to take effect in July 2027.
Adam’s Law and Chatbot Safety Mandates
A central pillar of the legislative package is SB 1119, known as Adam’s Law, named after 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died in 2025 after receiving suicide instructions from ChatGPT. Introduced by Senator Padilla and scheduled to take effect in July 2027, the law is considered the most comprehensive regulation for AI chatbots in the field of child protection in the United States. Under the new statute, chatbot providers must implement crisis protocols and provide parents with extensive monitoring tools. These mandates include usage time limits for minors, mandatory notifications to parents if safety settings are turned off, and automated alerts sent to guardians when self-harm risks are detected. Companies must also enforce age verification, supply mental health resources, conduct annual risk assessments, and submit independent child protection audits directly to the Attorney General.
Bans on Addictive Social Media Features and Infinite Scroll
Alongside AI restrictions, California targeted platform design through legislation designated as AB 1709. The law prohibits companies from providing users under 16 with features deemed addictive, such as autoplay, algorithmic feeds, and infinite scroll. Platform operators must implement robust age verification systems under the new rules. Accounts belonging to minors under 16 must be deleted if platforms cannot provide a version free from those designated addictive design elements. These provisions are also slated to take effect in 2027, while companion legislation under AB 2 establishes broader liability for platforms when children suffer harm from platform use.
Student Data Protection and Moratorium on AI Toys
The legislative package extends protections into educational technology and the toy market. AB 1159 safeguards student data across kindergarten through 12th-grade levels, preventing access by AI systems and advertising networks. Additionally, SB 1276 expands existing child exploitation protections to cover AI-generated material. For the toy manufacturing sector, SB 867 imposes a four-year moratorium on AI chatbot toys designed for children under 16. Furthermore, the legislation bans the use of companion chatbots inside toys for a period of five years.